DEFEAT: A Loser’s Perspective

“Defeat” is something no gamer wants to see on their screen. After all, the goal is usually to beat the game or win the match. But that’s not the case for me. I welcome defeat with open arms. In fact, you could say that I’m a professional loser at times.

I should probably make it clear I don’t lose on purpose. I genuinely try my hardest and I’m not a feeder, but losing is inevitable. We’ve all failed a mission or lost a match, but what matters most is what we take out of it. Some people rage, others try again, but a few of us learn from it. Losing can often provide key insights and benefits that winning cannot.

Probably the most obvious benefit from losing is learning from your mistakes. If you’re like me you then you prefer to learn by trial and error. Perhaps you tried a risky build or a surprise tactic but it fell short. Now armed with this knowledge you can continue to tweak your strategy until you find one that works. This benefit applies to all genres of games and shouldn’t be ignored. With it you can turn those defeats into victories in no time.

Defeat can also light a fire in your heart, giving you motivation to improve and strive for victory. Before you were uninspired and dull, but now you are active and prepared. Reading guides, issuing commands, and practicing strategies; you’ll do anything to win. But be warned, this +7 strength sword can prove to be double edged. Many can become reckless and abusive in their pursuit of victory, something that must be avoided at all costs.

Possibly the best and most overlooked benefit to losing is that it can humble you. You are able to easily empathize with others as you both struggle to overcome a similar obstacle or goal, and even become more tolerant of other’s mistakes. Suddenly the newb on your team is exactly that, a newb that needs guidance. You become able to give proper advice and constructive criticism, making the experience better for all involved. Of course this doesn’t apply to griefers. Far as I’m concerned they can all go to low priority purgatory.

No matter how you look at it, losing can be a positive experience. Naturally everyone’s experience will be different, but what matters is that you don’t waste it. Though who knows, maybe I’m a secret masochist or something. Well, time to get back to my losing streak.